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After nearly a week of rain on the Hilo side, Mother Nature decided to be kind and blessed Saturday's 20th Anniversary Kilauea Volcano Wilderness Runs with clear skies. The perfect conditions and spectacular courses attracted a record number of over one thousand runners and walkers.

Having a large international field at the Volcano Runs never surprises me. I'm actually surprised there's not even more. All three of the courses are exceptionally beautiful and even though they can be very challenging the opportunity to participate in something so unique is enough to bring out everyone from the elite runners to the fitness walkers.

The five mile Kilauea Caldera Run and Walk is the shortest of the three races but don't let the distance fool you. This one can be tough. For the leaders it starts out easy enough with a nice descent down onto the floor of the Caldera. After a short jaunt across the steaming crater floor the sightseeing is over as the trails now head uphill on a series of very steep switchback trails that eventually will take you back to the start-finish at the Kilauea Military Camp.

Navigation is key in all three races and for the lead pack in the five miler, they simply zigged when they should have zagged. This took past champ Karl Honma, Kalani Scott, Bobby Sheetz, Doug Fox and company out of contention and opened up the race for 2000 champ and last year's runner-up Alastair In, and two strong runners from Hilo, Jason Thorp and John Beitler.

In used his experience on the course to navigate his way to victory with a time of 33:59. Thorp, our June Sportsperson Of The Month, followed in second at 34:40. Beitler took third in 36:25. San Francisco's Gary Beuschel at 38:43 and U.H. Hilo running coach Danny Guerpo in 39:41 wrapped up the sub-forty minute top five.

This year's ladies champ, Eileen Morley, had no course experience but the 16-year-old from Port Orchard, Washington, used her youthful energy to clock in at 43:02. Mary Jane Banasan of Mountain View moved up from fourth last year to second this time on 44:22.

Janet Scott of Waikoloa topped the masters field to take third in 44:43 and 1992 champ Mouse Kelley finished fourth at 48:50. Honolulu teenager Liat Portner completed the top five in 50:24.

The 10 mile Crater Rim Run is a bit less extreme than the five miler but can still be a very rugged adventure. The lava and wooded trails are wonderful but as the 5 milers found out the short steep climbs can test even the strongest trail runner.

In last year's race Andy Harris of Honolulu had to settle for second place and a time of 1:06:16. On Saturday Harris was able to move up to the number one spot by pulling away from fellow Honolulu runner Louis Tomsic and Dan Goltz of Volcano.

Harris crossed the finish with a huge lead and blazing time of 1:04:59. The legendary race addict Tomsic was his usual strong self as he took second in 1:10:45. Goltz clocked in at 1:11:21 to move up from fifth in 2001 to third this year. Owen Kano and last year's 12th place finisher Bradley Musgrave rounded out a strong top five with their times of 1:12:07 and 1:12:58.

Abby Hurst of Honolulu was able to outdistance a very competitive ladies top five by completing the 10 mile adventure in 1:17:34. The race for the next three positions was close the entire way with Patsy Vasquez of Honolulu, Melanie Aiona of Kailua-Kona and Honolulu's Tomoko Iizuka-Sheeley swapping places numerous times.

Four time past 10 mile champ Vasquez won the back and fourth battle by taking second in 1:20:25. Aiona topped our Big Islanders with a strong third in 1:20:38. Iizuka-Sheeley followed in fourth at 1:20:53. Holly Rawson earned a spot in the top five by finishing in 1:24:58.

While the five and ten milers were finishing up their challenging events the marathoners, who had started practically in the dark, were out on the trails of the National Park attempting to finish 26.2 miles.

The marathon is definitely one of the toughest in the world as it takes the runners over a variety of extremely tough and uneven terrains. From the Ka'u Desert with it's heat and glass sharp lava, to rain forests and steep climbs this true test of endurance has it all.

You'd think that just finishing this awesome challenge would be enough but believe it or not the elite runners are actually out there racing it. Three time champ John Smith of Honolulu was back to defend his title while his training partner Clint Iizuka-Sheeley was also on hand to once again attempt to take down the defending champ.

The dominant duo were out front for the first 13.1 miles of the race with just Allister Knox of Kihei, Maui, hanging on to their fast pace. Near the 14 mile mark Knox dropped back leaving just Smith and Iizuka-Sheeley to once again battle it out for the victory.

In last year's race Smith was able to pull away and win the duel 3:14:19 to 3:17:13. This year however Iizuka-Sheeley just wouldn't go away. Near the 20 mile point Smith finally did open a slight gap on his training partner but just couldn't open it up. During the final few miles Smith was able to maintain his lead with Iizuka-Sheeley always within striking distance.

Down the homestretch Smith strided his way to his fourth Volcano Marathon win over the past five years. He clocked in with a great time of 3:09:14. As for Iizuka-Sheeley he followed very closely for his second consecutive runner-up finish at 3:09:47.

Knox held on to his third place spot at 3:19:11. John Lyle from the Volcano area topped our local list with a fourth place time of 3:42:31. Ralph Sawyer from Waimea rounded out a talented top five with his time of 3:44:12.

The ladies gruel-a-thon also turned out to be a good race with Amy Cowan and Tammy Agader of Honolulu doing their best to keep up with Tina Devine of Fairbanks, Alaska. Devine held the early lead but at the halfway point Cowan, a former Big Islander, had moved up into the lead. Devine was very close as was Agader.

By the time they had reached 20 miles Devine was back in front with Agader close behind. Cowan began to fall back a bit and was being chased by Jacquelyn Odre of Maui and seven time Volcano Marathon champ Rachel Portner of Honolulu.

As many of you know the final six miles of a marathon can be very difficult especially when the previous twenty have been done on sharp lava and rugged trails. Devine continued to hold her lead and run strong over these final grueling miles. She crossed the line with a solid time of 3:55:36.

Agader also remained strong and just broke four hours with her time of 3:59:40. Cowan was able to hold off Odre 4:09:31 to 4:10:56. Completing the very impressive top five was Portner, a strong masters runner and legend at the Kilauea events. Top honors for our Big Island ladies went to the always smiling Lisa Nelson who placed sixth with a time of 4:30:40.

All told. over 900 runners, walkers and hikers were able to complete their adventure and cross the finish line. Whether they did 5, 10, or 26.2 miles, every finisher should be proud to have completed a tough challenge that is also very unique. How often can you say that you just ran on, in or around an active volcano that continues to make our Big Island even bigger?

The next morning the fun wasn't over yet as Terry Miura and her good folks at Richardson Ocean Park held their 16th Annual Richardson Roughwater Swim. The one mile ocean event attracted a field of 116 finned and finless swimmers.

Just like the Volcano Runs, mother nature smiled on the event and provided sunny skies and fairly smooth conditions throughout the morning. A little surf in the start and finish channel made for some exciting moments but like always the leaders easily powered through it and headed towards the halfway buoy.

Kona's James Wee continued his summer swim dominance by winning his third major swim event in a row. Following up on his victories at Hapuna and the Kings Swim, Wee took the Richardson title in 20:38. Masters swimmer Keith Johnson placed a strong second in 21:02.

Right behind the leading men were two wahine Warriors racing for first and second. Up until last year Merceda Rivera had won four straight Richardson titles. Last year her friend and Waiakea Warrior teammate Sierra Binek took the crown with a 20:21 to 20:40 victory over Rivera.

This year these mighty Warriors started their weekend by running the grueling 10 miler at Volcano then on Sunday faced off once again at Richardson. Like last year it was close until the end where Rivera edged ahead to take third overall and her fifth title with a time of 21:20. Binek was a stroke behind in fourth overall and second wahine at 21:24.

Another half of a stroke behind was the always consistent Jim Mellon in fifth overall at 21:25. Demont Hansen at 22:10 and Moose Mullahey in 22:21 completed the men's top five.

As for the ladies, Debra Bumatay took third in 24:08. Aleja Rivera in 24:42 and Susan Cordell, along with her soon to be born baby, at 25:46 finished up the ladies top finishers list.

Sunday's finned champs were Jennifer Lee in 23:22 and Robert Belcher at 26:32.

One notable name missing from the swim results was 1987 champ Jack Gillen. The reason for his absence was that he was taking on the massive challenge of the Quicksilver Molokai To Oahu Paddleboard Race.

All of Gillen's hard training for the 32 mile journey across the Kaiwi Channel paid off on Sunday as he won the 40-49 age group in the stock boards class (12 feet and under). Gillen toughed out the victory with a time of 7:48:18.

Dolan Eversole topped the stock competition with a time of 6:17:45. In the open class (any size board) Australians swept the top spots with Jamie Mitchell taking the overall victory in 5:44:40.

Also in the off-island racing category, Gary Shields continued to
represent our island cyclists well with a third place finish at the Olomana Road Race. Shields battled with winner Thomas Novicoff and runner up Ray Brust until the final home stretch where Novicoff's youthful sprint was just too much for both himself and Brust.

This weekend it's back to the ocean for more wacky water activities at both the 15th Annual Napo'opo'o to Honaunau Swim and the Haleiwa Surf and Sea Cup. The four mile individual or relay swim down in Honaunau will take place on Sunday, August 4th at 8:30 a.m. The 1.2 mile Haleiwa event will wrap up the four race North Shore Swim Series on Saturday at 9 a.m. for the
women and 10 a.m. for the men. Go get'um Moose, Kona's Super Series Swimmer!

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